Friday, May 4, 2018

Liberalization proceeds apace in Saudi Arabia. We have been
following this story for some time now, so it is fitting that we report the
latest step forward. The kingdom will now allow churches to be built within its
borders. Can synagogues be far behind?

The
agreement was signed by the Secretary General of the Muslim World League Sheikh
Mohammed bin Abdel Karim Al-Issa and the President of the Pontifical Council
for Inter-religious Dialogue in the Vatican, Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, according
to a report Wednesday
from the Egypt Independent newspaper.

The Financial Express has reported
that Saudi Arabia’s newfound openness to
and socio-cultural cooperation with the non-Muslim world stems from a desire to
reduce dependency on oil resources, its primary economic driver.

Cardinal
Tauran visited Riyadh
on April 16-20, where he was received at the royal palace by King Salman bin
Abdulaziz Al Saud, who acts as the country’s prime minister as well as the
custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and his son, the crown prince Muhammad bin
Salman. Tauran and his delegation also visited the Center for the Fight against
Extremist Thought, and met with the current Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia,
Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdullah Al ash-Sheikh.

In his
address to Saudi officials, Tauran made mention of the “hundreds of thousands
of Christians in the Saudi Kingdom,” insisting that Pope Francis follows their
situation “with close attention.” The cardinal also reiterated the Vatican
position on the equal treatment of all citizens regardless of their religion,
including those who do not profess any religion, and called for establishing a
common basis for the construction of centers of worship.

Fruit
of the cardinal’s visit was the joint agreement that provides for the building
of churches to care for the needs of Christians in Saudi Arabia as well as
underscoring the key role of religions in renouncing violence, extremism,
terrorism and achieving security and stability in the world.